


Time Waits for Nobody, so Why Wait for Time

by inRemote



Series: Edeleth Week 2019 [7]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Marriage, Trans Ferdinand von Aegir
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-24 19:30:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20912912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inRemote/pseuds/inRemote
Summary: Edelgard's position has proved troublesome for her and Byleth's marriage prospects. However, Dorothea is a professional meddler.





	Time Waits for Nobody, so Why Wait for Time

**Author's Note:**

> prompt was "Marriage", if you can believe it

“It was a lovely service, though.”

“Oh, yes. A wonderful service.”

Byleth had heard this line repeated by pretty much every well-dressed important person she’d brushed shoulders with over the past hour. A government minister had gotten married, and she and Edelgard had attended as guests, as was proper of their station. Byleth barely knew these people, and she had no idea what a ‘lovely service’ was supposed to look like. They had looked beautiful in their wedding regalia, and the organ playing in the temple had certainly been impressive. The officiator had read a lot of words about how significant marriage was, a bond between two souls witnessed by the Goddess herself, but Byleth couldn’t help but think Sothis would have been terribly bored by the whole thing. She could practically hear that signature yawn in her mind.

Byleth didn’t offer prayers, because praying to a friend seemed weird. But she did periodically think of Sothis, and hoped she was well, wherever she was.

Byleth had spent the better part of an hour being talked at people she didn’t know and couldn’t really understand. The nobility system may have been dismantled, but the mindset was harder to shift, and everyone here seemed to have an inflated opinion of themselves. Byleth kept quiet, knowing that if she opened her mouth she would almost certainly cause a Scandal.

She caught Edelgard approaching out of the corner of her eye, and felt relief immediately wash over her. She shot the Emperor of Fodlan a look that screamed “help me, please”. Edelgard smiled in response as she marched over.

“My apologies, gentlemen, but I must deprive you of Minister Eisner’s company.” There were noises of despair - oh, but she’s wonderful, wherever did you find her - and Byleth found herself all but clinging to Edelgard. She was good at these social graces. Byleth was not.

After all the appropriate formalities were dispensed to the married couple, Byleth and Edelgard found themselves escorted to their awaiting carriage. They waited until they were both secured within before they let their masks drop, tension releasing and muscles slumping.

“I keep forgetting my title.” Byleth began. “People keep addressing me as ‘Minister’ and then get upset when I ignore them. I suppose I was Professor for too long.”

Edelgard laughed softly, smiling fondly at her. “You’d barely gotten used to ‘Director’, as well. You’ve certainly had a varied career, Byleth.”

“At least Director was interesting. People asked what I was directing. And they were interested in the Agarthan Technology Research Institute. Even if I had no idea how any of it worked. Now I introduce myself as ‘Minister of Welfare’ and they immediately fall asleep.”

Byleth sighed, resting her head on Edelgard’s shoulder, and they sat there in silence for a while, enjoying the quiet of each other’s company after a full day of performative socialising. But a thought was boiling up in Byleth’s mind, and she was never one to let them go unspoken.

“Edelgard, do you want to get married?”

She didn’t get a response immediately, and she sat patiently, knowing that Edelgard frequently needed a while to sort her thoughts when Byleth dropped incredibly deep questions unannounced. She waited for a few moments before elaborating, for assistance. “I realise now that giving you my dad’s ring must have seemed like a proposal in terms of... Standard protocol. And I know we don’t really talk about it.” Another pause, as Byleth thought over her next words carefully. “But it could be. If you wanted it to be.”

“...It is not as simple as what I want, my heartbeat.” Byleth couldn’t see Edelgard’s face from where she was, but she could tell from the tone in her voice that her question had struck something unpleasant. “Even if I wanted to, there are certain... obstacles for us, given my position. I have responsibilities, and there’s public opinion to consider, and-”

“But if you could, would you want to?”

“...I would like nothing more in this world.”

Byleth nodded. “That’s okay, then.” She adjusted herself, planting a tender kiss on Edelgard’s cheek. She felt Edelgard lean into her. “We can just wait.”

* * *

  
  


Byleth mentioned this conversation in passing to Dorothea, the next time she had returned to Enbarr from Brigid. It had just been the two of them at the time, as Byleth had slightly more free time than the leader of the country herself. Dorothea had been beside herself with indignation.

“My Edie, unable to get married? Utterly unacceptable. No, I think we’ll have to do something about this.”

“I would like to, but I can’t change her circumstances.” Byleth protested. “If she wants to wait, then I’ll wait. It’s fine.”

“But she doesn’t  _ want  _ to wait. She just  _ has _ to. But...” Dorothea trailed off, and Byleth could practically see the gears turning in her head. Her eyes lit up mischievously as whatever her plan she was concoting started to take shape.    
  


“No, Professor, I think you both might be pleasantly surprised.”

Dorothea refused to elaborate further, but a devilish smile danced across her features for the rest of the day.

* * *

  
  


A few months later marked the fifth anniversary of their reunion at Garreg Mach. There was no Millenium Festival to celebrate this time, but Dorothea had insisted that they should have a reunion all the same. 

_ “It just feels significant, y’know? The last time we met after five years, we were in the middle of a horrible war. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to meet again after another five years, and see how things have changed?” _

_ _ It had taken a herculean effort to arrange a vacation for exactly the right day, with both the Emperor and several of her ministers, and they had worked tirelessly to ensure there was no backlog when they left. They likely would work tirelessly upon their return, as well. But this had been important.

The carriage ground to a halt outside the gates of the monastery, and deposited two couples. The Emperor and the three ministers had arrived with a significant armed guard, much to Hubert’s satisfaction and Edelgard’s chagrin. They likely would have argued over the extent of it for the entire journey, had they not had their respective partners to placate them. Byleth had become reasonably skilled at assuaging an irate Edelgard, but she’d never had believed anyone could manage the feat on Hubert, and yet somehow, one person had. Freya von Aegir was not to be underestimated.

Freed from the confines of the carriage, all four of them felt the tense atmosphere between them evaporate. Very little had changed about the monastery in the intervening years, and it still felt so familiar the second they laid eyes upon it. The place held memories, both good and bad, and its significance to every one of them was undeniable.

They had barely reached the front door before Freya paused suddenly. “I, uh. There is something Hubert and I must attend to! You must forgive us, Professor, Your Majesty. Please take your time strolling the grounds! And then please meet us in the cathedral in, um...”

She looked to Hubert, pleading with her eyes. Hubert sighed. “Two hours.”

“Yes! Two hours. On the hour, if you wouldn’t mind.”

Edelgard eyed them both with suspicion. “This is simultaneously very vague and very specific. Care to explain what demands your attention?”

Freya panicked. “I must... I must make out with Minister von Vestra. In a very specific location. For a very specific amount of time.”

Hubert looked ready to kill her. Edelgard’s suspicion grew. Byleth had no idea what was happening, but she had learnt to let things that clearly needed to happen, just happen. She took Edelgard’s hand, and squeezed it gently.

“It’s clearly very important,” she told Edelgard. “Let’s wander the grounds a while. There’s no rush.”

Edelgard sighed. “I do not know what you are scheming, you two, but if this is some kind of prank-”

“Freya von Aegir would never stoop to such lows! And my love lacks the sense of humour to do so.”

_ “Come.” _ Hubert growled, grabbing Freya’s hand suddenly and dragging her towards the cathedral. “Before you embarrass us  _ further. _ ”

Byleth and Edelgard suddenly found themselves alone, with only the fading sound of Hubert and Freya’s argument to keep them company.

Edelgard sighed. “Unbelievable. Well, it appears we have some time to kill. Shall we?”

Byleth squeezed her hand again, smiling. “Yes, let’s.”

* * *

  
  


The next two hours were strange. The monastery was much the same as their last visit - minimally staffed, quiet, beautiful, and with memories seeping from every stone. What was strange about the experience was that they kept running into their old friends, one or two at a time, who would always make their excuses and disappear within minutes. They might’ve expected such behaviour from Bernadetta and Lindhart, who while adorable together, fed into each others bad social habits in a way that Edelgard wouldn’t exactly describe as healthy. But they couldn’t get  _ anyone _ to stay long enough for a conversation. Even motormouths like Sylvian and Lorenz seemed only to linger for moments before mentioning that they had to prepare for ‘the event’. 

“What event are they even talking about?” Edelgard grumbled, exasperated. “This  _ is  _ the event! We are all here, and yet nobody seems to want to be in the same place as us.”

Byleth gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I have no idea, El, but I believe whatever it is supposed to be is likely a surprise.”

“A surprise for whom?”

“Given that we are the only ones who don’t know about it, I imagine it’s for us.”

* * *

  
  


Two hours passed, and Edelgard had had enough. She was about to storm to the cathedral herself when they saw Hubert and Dorothea crossing the grounds to meet them. 

“I suppose this is the point where I find out what all of you have been up to?”

“Not quite, Edie! Actually, this was supposed to be more of a surprise, but  _ someone _ got the times wrong.”

“I have already admonished Freya for her oversight.” Hubert assured Dorothea. 

“I am about to admonish  _ both _ of you for this farce you are subjecting me to.” Edelgard interjected. “Were it not for Byleth’s infinite patience and wisdom, I’d have already marched over and found out for myself.”

“Well, yes, we were relying on the Professor to stop you ruining things for yourself, Edie.” Dorothea winked. “But we’re ready for you now, so if you’d like to come with us...?”

Byleth shrugged, turning to Edelgard. “Might as well find out what they’ve got planned for us.”

Edelgard sighed for the hundredth time that day, and leaned into Byleth. “Very well. I am sure it will be very embarrassing.”

They found themselves curiously flanked by Hubert and Dorothea, escorted to the grand doors to the cathedral before they were brought to a sudden stop. Dorothea shot Hubert a Look, and Hubert returned with a Look of his own. They nodded to each other, and in a synchronised motion, they linked their arms with Edelgard and Byleth; Hubert in Edelgard’s, Dorothea in Byleth’s. Edelgard had barely managed to sputter out a question before the doors before them opened.

Oh.  _ That’s _ what they had been doing.

The pews were filled with the Black Eagles, each and every one of them turned and beaming smiles at them, applauding. At the end of the nave, before the restored statue of the Goddess, stood Freya, flanked by Lindhart. Freya was fussing over some notes she had on a podium, with Lindhart pointing our sections and desperately trying to explain something to her. They looked up as the applause started, and joined in. The cathedral’s organ, also restored, broke into song with a  _ reasonable _ level of competence, with only the occasional missed note. Byleth spied Bernadetta behind the instrument. How’d they bribe her into that?

The pair of them stood, dumbfounded, as they slowly processed what was happening. It was clearly meant to be a wedding, even if there was no celebrant. No, that was clearly what Freya was there for. Then that meant...

They were both caught unawares as Annette and Mercedes materialised behind them, lowering veils onto their heads. Before either of them could manage a word, Hubert and Dorothea were ushering them down the aisle. Edelgard had turned beet red, but Byleth was calm and collected, taking in the faces of her friends with an unspoken joy.

“This was your doing, wasn’t it?” she whispered to Dorothea. She received only a wink in response.

Then they were at the podium, and Dorothea and Hubert flitted away (although not before Hubert slipped something into Edelgard’s hand), leaving only the two of them standing before Freya (assisted by Lindhart). 

  
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of two incredible women before... What, Lindhart?... Oh! Yes. Edelgard, and Byleth. Two unlikely partners, brought together in most arduous circumstance...”

Freya went on for some time in that vein, a mixture of her own embellishments of the script, and Lindhart’s occasional correction. It was nothing like the wedding the pair of them had been to before. It was rushed, clumsy, unprofessional, and personal. Freya spoke at length of their struggles and their shared dreams, because she had been there for all of it herself. Everyone in that room knew what they had been through, and they were all here for them.

Byleth’s heart swelled. She cherished every pulse. 

“...And now, we shall hear the couple’s vows, which they have absolutely had time to prepare and are not being asked to craft at a moment’s notice.”

Byleth and Edelgard both drew a blank, and blushed furiously in tandem, barely daring to look at each other.

“Well, this is disappointing. I was sure that Her Majesty would rise to the challenge. I assure you that I, Freya von Aegir, would never-”

Edelgard took the bait. “Enough, Freya. I am quite capable of articulating my feelings for Byleth.”

Edelgard took a deep breath, and turned to face Byleth, eyes locking onto hers, so fierce and focussed that she might have been the only person in the room. Byleth felt electricity dance down her spine.

“Byleth... My heartbeat. Words can scare begin to explain my feelings in sufficient detail. When I enrolled at the Academy, I couldn’t have possibly imagined what awaited me. I had thought I was doomed to walk my path with precious little company. But then you came into my life, and I dared to hope otherwise. And you never let me down, not once. Every time you had the opportunity to walk away, when staying with me was the hardest thing to do, you did it anyway. Even when you were gone for five years, lost to us, I waited for you to come back. And you did. Every time I thought I had crossed a bridge too far, I turned to find you standing next to me.

“It is no exaggeration to say that I have no idea what my life would look like without you in it, Byleth. But I know it would be a pale of shadow of what it is now. All the joy, all the love, that I had resigned myself to a life without, I now find given freely. It defies words, it surely defies fate. We changed the face of a country together, and we continue to lead it into a brighter future, and yet even now I find myself most occupied with your smiling face over a cup of tea. You are the most wondrous and improbable thing in an already improbable life. I would not be here without you. I love you.”

There was a pause, and Byleth realised it was her turn. That was... A lot to live up to. Which would be difficult, because by now she was having trouble focusing past the tears already flowing from her eyes. 

“El, I... I don’t think I could ever hope to put my feelings as eloquently as yours. Words were never really my thing. I always preferred to speak with actions. But I’ll try. You make me want to try. I once said you were my foundation, and I still think that’s true. There is so much in my life now that wasn’t there before, because you gave me the opportunity to find it. Before I met you, I’d never even made a choice. I was just a doll, floating through a life I had no input in. But with you by my side, things started to change. Things started to make less sense because I had to think about them. And you helped me find answers. 

“You never told me what to think or what to say, but you helped me figure out what I wanted to think and say. You gave me the space to choose, and that was terrifying, but I thank you for it every day. We built something together, and I built myself with you. There would be no  _ me,  _ without you. You are the first person I chose to stand beside. You are the person I will always choose. Again and again. Because my heart sings when you’re there. Things make sense. I learnt what it means to belong, because it’s how I feel with you. And I want to feel that every day, for the rest of my life.”

Edelgard was crying too now, and they were both complete messes in front of all their friends. “I know I’m already wearing the ring you gave me, but I... Well, I had this made a while ago, just in case. I was optimistic. I don’t  _ remember _ telling Hubert about this, but apparently he still managed to deliver it.”

She opened her hand to reveal a ring, silver like her own, with similar intricate patterns. It was set with an opal, and the colours in it shifted in the same way the ones on Jeralt’s old ring did. It was different in its own ways, but it complimented the ring Byleth had given her perfectly. 

And now she slid it on to Byleth’s finger, and it mattered nothing to either of them that this wasn’t official. It was real, to them. No organised or planned wedding could have been as meaningful, as perfect as this. Because it was far from perfect, and so were they. A room full of broken people put back together by the happiness they made from themselves. This jury-rigged ceremony was the perfect representation of them.

“You may now kiss the bride. Brides? Lindhart, I-”

Byleth and Edelgard did not wait for clarification.

**Author's Note:**

> it's archduke trans ferdinand, motherfucker
> 
> this got a bit out of hand but it was a cute idea courtesy of @ariadnearca on twitter. freya's name was stolen from @winterbramble on twitter, who i very much hope does not take exception to this but it was a very cute name
> 
> that's me done! i'm gonnae go sleep for a week and then get back to writing *checks notes* my edeleth fic. fuck.
> 
> hmu on @scunnerfan


End file.
